Tuition & Fees for 2024-2025
Tuition is set annually by the Board of Trustees at a level needed to meet the cost of operations. The information below is for the 2024-2025 school year. Most families pay over 10 months, though a 5% discount applies to a single payment with other payment options available. To view when the deposit, fees, and tuition are due for enrollment at The Garden School, please refer to the new family enrollment schedule. Shown is a 10-month tuition payment schedule, which occurs from May 2024 to February 2025. An initial deposit is due in April 2024 to reserve a position for your child.
New Families - Joyful Beginnings/Toddler Program
The Joyful Beginnings program is from 8:45am - 12:30pm. Please refer to the new family enrollment schedule to view when deposit, fees and tuition are due for enrollment. Material fees include costs for supplies and a mid-morning shared snack. Enrollment fees include a one time $250 registration fee.
| Tuition | Materials Fee | Enrollment Fees | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 days (Th, F) | $4,800 | $200 | $250 | $5,250 |
| 3 days (M-W) | $6,500 | $300 | $250 | $7,050 |
| 5 days | $8,800 | $400 | $250 | $9,450 |
New Families - Forest Kindergarten
Tuition in the Forest Kindergarten program is based on the number of days per week, as well as half or full day enrollment. The school day begins at 8:45am. The Half Day program ends at 12:30pm, and the Full Day program ends at 3:10pm (*Thursday’s dismissal at 2:10pm). Please refer to the new family enrollment schedule to view when deposit, fees and tuition are due for enrollment. Material fees include costs for supplies and a mid-morning shared snack. Lunch is brought from home. One-time enrollment fees include a $250 registration fee and a work bond of $500 for your family’s time at The Garden School. For the 24-25 school year, we will be offering 5 day program (M-F), 4 day program (M-Th), and a 3 day program (M-W).
| Half Day Program (until 12:30pm) | Tuition | Materials Fee | Enrollment Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days (M - W) | $6,600 | $350 | $750 | $7,700 | 4 days (M - TH) | $8,100 | $400 | $750 | $9,250 | 5 days | $9,200 | $450 | $750 | $10,400 |
| Full Day Program (until 3:10pm*) | Tuition | Materials Fee | Enrollment Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days (M - W) | $8,200 | $350 | $750 | $9,300 | 4 days (M - Th) | $10,600 | $400 | $750 | $11,750 | 5 days | $12,400 | $450 | $750 | $13,600 |
New Families - Grades Tuition
The school day runs from 8:35am to 3:20pm (Thursday’s dismissal is at 2:15pm) for Grades 1-5, and from 8:20am - 3:30pm for Middle School. Please refer to the new family enrollment schedule to view when deposit, fees and tuition are due for enrollment. Material fees include costs for curriculum materials and supplies, field trips, and overnight class trips for the upper grades. One-time enrollment fees include a $250 registration fee and a work bond of $500 for your family’s time at The Garden School.
| Tuition | Materials Fee | Enrollment Fees | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 1 - 4 | $14,000 | $600 | $750 | $15,350 |
| Grades 5 - 7 | $14,000 | $800 | $750 | $15,550 |
Other Costs & Fees
Growing our Garden Campaigns
Like most private schools, The Garden School relies significantly on fundraising and donations to meet our financial needs each year. Parents and friends of The Garden are asked to participate in one or more of our three campaigns each year: Georgia GOAL, the annual auction, and other fundraising campaigns. The amount of the tax-deductible gift is left up to the family, but we ask for and expect 100% participation from our community.
Volunteer Work Bond
Each new enrolling family pays a $500 volunteer work bond for your family’s time at The Garden School. Each family is required to volunteer for 20 hours per school year.
Tuition Assistance
Many parents desire to have their children educated and nurtured by a progressive school education. However, the additional cost of tuition to the basic family budget can be challenging for some. The Garden School values diversity and through tuition assistance provides opportunities for families whose financial circumstances would not normally allow them to consider private education. Our Garden campaigns support our ability to promote this opportunity.
Our program is administered in a way in which tuition is indexed to a level based on a family’s ability to pay. This allows our school to make Waldorf-inspired education affordable to many more families. The Garden School uses an independent financial consultant to ensure confidentiality and third-party objectivity. Tuition assistance applications for new families are due by February 28, 2024 via your link in TADS.
In addition to applying for tuition assistance, we expect families to explore other possibilities for funding their child’s education, including contributions from relatives and employment and lifestyle adjustments. Tuition assistance is capped at 50% of tuition. Because of the 50% limit, it is important that our financial aid applicants are prepared to sustain enrollment year to year within the parameters of our tuition assistant grants. More information about our tuition assistance here.